Confederation and the cantons adopt common strategy on exchanges and mobility

Bern, 02.11.2017 - The exchange and mobility strategy aims to make exchanges and mobility a natural part of education pathways, career trajectories and extracurricular activities. The aim is to reinforce exchange and mobility programmes both from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint.

The Confederation and the cantons have expressed the aim for more young people to take part in exchange and mobility activities at home or abroad at least once during their training or transition to working life. This will allow them to improve their language skills, their social and professional skills and thus their prospects on the labour market. They will also become more aware of linguistic and cultural diversity in Switzerland and in other countries.

At the social level, exchange and mobility programmes make an important contribution to greater understanding between cultural and linguistic communities. At the same time, they enhance the quality of the Swiss education area and enable it to develop further. At the same time, they help to preserve Switzerland’s competitiveness and innovative capacity. Finally, exchange and mobility programmes ensure that Switzerland remains an active player both within a European and global context. For these reasons, the Confederation and the cantons support exchange and mobility programmes at all levels of education, as well as in working life and in extracurricular activities, whether this takes place at home or abroad through European education programmes.

The exchange and mobility strategy was developed jointly by the Confederation and the cantons and adopted this October by the heads of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) and by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK). It also furthers the overarching objectives established by the Confederation and the cantons for their education, culture and youth policies.

The exchange and mobility strategy is intended to achieve greater recognition and support for exchange and mobility programmes so as to increase participation levels. To this end, existing exchange and mobility programmes will be expanded and developed further. At the same time, steps will be taken to improve access to information and programmes. Finally, the exchange and mobility strategy establishes the preconditions needed for effective cooperation and coordination between the Confederation and the cantons as well as with other exchange and mobility actors.

The exchange and mobility strategy is designed for the long term. The Confederation and the cantons are committed to gradual implementation of the strategy. At the operational level, responsibility lies largely with the Movetia agency, which was founded by the Confederation and the cantons to promote exchange and mobility.